This blog is for Bayon Temple. Totally, the most iconic structure located in Angkor Archeological Park. I spend a five-night stayed in Siem Reap, where many interesting place can be found here. Today, I want to share my journey to Bayon Temple with you!
The feeling of knowing that it was the first day of the vocation. I Know there was four day more which I don't have to be very hurry to explore thing, doing step by step only. Our plans is 5 day and 4 night trip in Siem Reap, but also consider to continue to another tourists province which is Porsat.
About My Tour
In Siem Reap, I never imagine myself to see rainy scenery, you know during the last 5 years ago. There was a heavy rain while we still on our vocation which actually ruin all the plans and where we need to explore especially the temple. Today, it was my pleasure that the weather is okay even though it kind of hot now obviously 39 Celsius, but to me as well as other tourists especially the people who do a business here, hot isn't worse like raining.
My niece and my sister hurry me since 5 am in the morning. We plan to watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat temple, I will show you in my next blog!
Ancient Temple Entrance
The entrance shows how classical the temple inside was. I just paid for a Tuk Tuk, oh I feel like I have to stop here and walk even faster, I can't wait anymore.
Over the years, I noticed that many Cambodian super star would come here with their colleagues in order to film the new videos for song or movie, obviously like the MV for this Khmer New Year. For the new couple, they are choosing Bayon temple for pre wedding as well. Both Angkor Wat and Bayon temple are the list of top amazing place for taking photos. Usually, I see them online and they took a wonderful photography, I also like the portrait too where it having Khmer temple as a background.
Bayon Temple was founded for a very long time ago, but the beauty here still offer the unique for visitors to watch.
I understand that there are more deeply information that I haven't known, but according to what my teacher used to teach me, he told me that Buddhism during Bayon Temple era is widely practice in Cambodia because of our king have a huge influence make Buddhism spreading to all Cambodian minds and hearts.
Mostly in Cambodia, our temple built with Thmor Baykream which is the type of sandstone.
Our temple had been through the a effect of war in Cambodia for many decades and still stand still, they are amazing and proudly to say it was a symbol of Cambodia staying in our hearts. However, some part of the temple just like the nearly part of the building structure for example: has destroyed, some of them is assume to get effect by natural disasters and the fight during the war from the enemy that wanted to destroyed Cambodia.
Many stone surrounding the temple that some was fell apart from the affect of war, but also allow visitors to sit.
My friends and I having a conversation and enjoy our walk until my daughter was asking for water,so we sit on the floor for a few seconds waiting her to finished her drink. And then, we continue walking and start our conversation again, you know my friends who I got to meet ask me what we just said at the moment, I replied I don't know I have no clues, so we move to the next topic.
We walked across one of the most attractive site which is the Khmer warrior bas-relief carving, showing how Khmer ancestors fight to protect the country. At that time, there wasn't any modern weapon, they are struggling and do everything to fight against the enemy.
Enigmatic stone faces believe to be the most widely impressive, building with a smile which make people easier to notice that it was Bayon Temple.
I guess, you might heard it before, besides Angkor Wat, there are actually more than a hundred temple that was built in Siem Reap involved with different traditional style and different meanings behind each temple. With the difference years of built tell me that our Khmer ancestors build with each own design due to Khmer revolution of economic and culture.
It almost time to come back because we heard that at 2 pm, there must be a heavy traffic. With this case, my daughter and I plan to leave here before 2 o'clock which is the time before my sister and I have to meet up, many unique stuff created with style that I haven't experienced yet. I force to leave with sad feeling. Before the meet up, totally have 30 minutes more which is hard for me to choose whether I should move to another site or still here and learn about history with the good quality photography of this site ?
Fortunately, I noticed the initiation of Khmer Exhibition, showing alot of cool designs. Immediately when i turned right about 2 meters seeing the crowd full of blue shirt both lady and gentlemen, then my daughter ask me to visit that area. Because this was Sunday, so students in Siem Reap doesn't have school which there are many people go there. For what I have noticed most students at another don't study till Saturday at all, but kids in my village does since from level primary to the highest one.
Along our walk, we got to know more about the new place among the nice place in Siem Reap.
Angkor Songkran 2023🎉
From one step to another step and apart from the other sites, I feel like I already spent enough time breathing the air surrounding all of this incredible temple. It's Khmer New Year, I can tell you there is a sounds of music everywhere, mostly Khmer Traditional Music performance by many professional musician. One more today as well, they perform a dance call Madison, which is just breaks the Gunnies World Record as the largest Dance Performance.
We go to explore something in Songkran event. All above the giant thing including kitchen material.
Some part of secrets that foreigner can't find in documentary, but facts it isn't a 100% true, but after hearing that I can tell you it might take you into a consideration. Of course, Khmer people, a native that raised in Angkor era, from one generation to another generation, our ancestors keep the documentary by writing as a letter, number and symbol on the stone some part of the temple or even other possible area, one more way that I found somebody must think it could be fake, unreasonable story, but by the mouth pass down to another generation is the things that we can't miss thinking about it again.
Due to the fact that another family also have been told the same thing happened. For example, one story my grandma used to told me that Apsara along each temple is actually have a spirit so make sure you respect their place while visiting, she was raised in Siem Reap, and by asking many people they also believe this too since they have heard from their family.
But these I found in Angkor Wat temple, I just want to show you about Apsara by my explanation.
An amazing art of this temple, which is also the unique things about Bayon Temple also known as Angkor Thom is absolutely the face creation with the stone appears to be seen that he is smiling.
With this design, I totally admire and very grateful for our ancestors, showing how talented of artist during that period are, even though this temple have gone through many issues for example rain, wind or other natural disasters or even a war in Cambodia, they still keep the beauty staying last than 500 years, and that the most incredibly astonishing creation that difficult to existed twice in our planet.